Strategios (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God holding the Child in her right arm. Inscription on either side: Μ̅θυ̅: Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.
σεισ
παναγνε
στρατηγι
ονοικε
την
σῴζεις, Πάναγνε, Στρατήγιον οἰκέτην
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God holding the Child in her right arm. Inscription on either side: Μ̅θυ̅: Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.
σεισ
παναγνε
στρατηγι
ονοικε
την
σῴζεις, Πάναγνε, Στρατήγιον οἰκέτην
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.2911 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 25.0 mm; field: 10.0 mm |
| Previous Editions |
Translation
σῴζεις, Πάναγνε, Στρατήγιον οἰκέτην.
May you, all-holy One, preserve your servant Strategios.
Commentary
A most unusual specimen in that the obverse and reverse of the flan have been struck twice with the same boulloterion. Both sides present the obverse and reverse of the seal. Note that the the dies were not on the same axis (there is about a 30 degree difference).
The verb σῴζεις is in the indicative mood but we take this as a homophonic error for the optative form σῴζοις which one would expect in a metrical invocation.